Fender for automobiles.



E. V. HARTMAN.

FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION r1150 11mm. 1914.

1,161.51 3. Patented Dec.14,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

. KI /[1 027721 mg, Wi t "mo E. V. HARTMAN.

FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29. 1914.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E1VIANUEL V. I-IARTIVIAN, 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA.

FENDER FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 19915.

Application filed December 29, 1914. Serial No. 879,532.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EMANUEL V. HART- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful improvements in Fenders for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fenders for automobiles, street cars and the like.

An object of this invention is to produce a simple and effective fender which may be readily folded into a small compass so that the vehicle to which it is applied will not be disfigured by the presence thereof.

A further object of the invention is to produce a foldable fender having spring actuated parts held together in folded position by a latch mechanism, which latter, when released by the operator, will permit the parts constituting the fender to be projected by the actuating springs.

A. further object of the invention is to pro vide simple and eilicient means for mounting the fender in position on a vehicle.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the fender applied to the front end of an automobile. Fig. is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the fender thrown open for use. Fig. 3 is a top plan view with dotted lines indicating the position of the fender when thrown to one side to permit cranking of the engine. Fig. i is a sectional view taken on the line 44 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The back portion 15 of the improved fender is provided with vertical cleats 16 each having a hinge lug 17 provided with a horizontal'slot or recess 18. A pair of arcuate brackets 19 are secured by means of fastenv mg devices, such as clips 20, on the body or frame of an automobileor other vehicle of which 21 designates the foot board.' The arcuate brackets 19 which are goose-neck shaped are provided at their forward ends with boxes 22 pivoted thereon by means of p ns 23 and provided at their forward ends with tongues 24 adapted to engage the recesses 18 of the hinge lugs 17 where one of said tongues is secured by means of a stationary pintle 25, while the other tongue is secured by means of a detachable key 26 which, when temporarily withdrawn, will permit the back member and related parts to swing to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, thereby affording access to the front part of the vehicle, if an automobile, for the purpose of cranking the same. The detachable key 26 may be connected with back member 15 by a flexible element, such as a chain 27. Each of the pivoted boxes 22 has a set screw 28 hearing against the bracket 19 and enabling the box to be adjusted for the purpose of raising or lowering the back member 15 and related parts. The brackets 19 have been shown as reinforced by braces 29.

Hingedly connected with the back member adjacent to the ends thereof are end flaps 30, and a bottom flap 31 is similarly hinged at the lower edge of the back member. The latter,.as well as the end and bottom flaps, are provided with cushions 32 which may be detachably or otherwise connected therewith. The end flaps are also connected with the bottom flap by flexible braces 33 which will serve to limit the opening movement of the flaps 30 and 31 with respect to each other. Springs 34 are provided, the tension of which is exerted to move the flaps 30and 31 to an open position, as shown in Fig. 2; the parts are so arranged that after the end flaps 30 have been folded down against the back member, the flap 31 may then be folded up against the said end members where it may be secured by latch means to be presentl'y described, thusmaintaining the device in the closed position shown in Fig. 1.

Hingedly connected with the top edge of the back member 15 is a shield 35, made preferably of sheet metal and of suitable dimensions to be folded over the end and bottom flaps when said flaps have been collapsed. Mounted on said shield adj acent to the free edge thereof is a spring actuated 88 is provided, said lever being fulcrumed at I 39 "onthe shield. The lever is connected by a suitable flexible element, such as a chain 40, carrying a snap hook 41 with a ring or eye as carried by a lever 43 that extends through and is pivotally connected with the foot board 21, said. lever terminating in a treadle 4: 1 to receive the impact of the foot of the operator. The box members 22 are equipped with buffers 15 to receive the impact of the shieldwhen the latter is thrown Mud guards 46, preferably made of sheet metal, are secured at the ends of the back member 15.

.From the fore oing description taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of this invention Will be readily understood. The brackets carrying the fender may be readily mounted on the body or frame of an automobile, street car or other vehicle, and the device after being mounted may be adjusted so as to placethe fender at the proper elevation by manipulating the set screws 28 in the boxes 22. Ordinarily the device is closed or collapsed, as seen in Fig. 1. When the fender is mounted on an automobile and it is desired to crank the same preparatory to starting, the key 26 is withdrawn, and the snap hook 41 is disengaged from the link 12, after which the fender may be readily swung to the out-of-the-way position seen in Fig. 3 in dotted lines. In any emergency, when a person is seen to cross the path of the automobile, the operator may by depressing the treadle 11 release the latch 36 from the catch 37, when the spring actuated flaps 30 and 31 will be instantly thrown open. An actuating spring for the shield 35 is not required, because said shield will be thrown to an open position by the action of the unlatching lever 38. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A foldable fender comprising a back member, spring actuated end flaps hingedly connected therewith, a spring actuated bottom flap hingedly connected with the back member, flexible braces connecting the bottom flap with the end flaps, and means for retaining the end and bottom flaps in folded condition against the tension of their respective actuating springs.

2. A foldable fender comprising a back member, spring actuated end flaps hingedly connected therewith, a spring actuated bottom flap hingedly connected with the back member, flexible braces connecting the bottom flap with the end flaps, and means for retaining the end and bottom flaps in folded condition against the tension of their respective actuating springs; said means including a shield hingedly connected with the top edge of the back member, a spring actuated latch member on said shield, and a catch at the free edge of the bottom flap.

3. An automobile fender comprising arcuate supporting brackets, box members carried thereby, a back member having hinge lugs, a pintle connecting one of the hinge lugs with one of the boxes, a detachable key connecting the other hinge lug with the other box, and foldable spring actuated flaps car-' ried by the back member.

4:. An automobile fender comprising arcuate supporting brackets, box members carried thereby, a back member having hinge lugs, a pintle connecting one of the hinge lugs with one of the boxes, a detachable key connecting the other hinge lug with the other box, foldable spring actuated flaps carried by the back member, a shield carrying a spring actuated latch member, a catch on one of the flaps adapted to be engaged by said latch member, a latch actuating lever fulcrumed on the shield, a foot lever, and suitably guided flexible connecting means between the foot lever and the latch actuating lever, said connecting means including a snap hook and a link engaged thereby.

5. In a device of the class described, arenate supporting brackets, boxes pivotally connected therewith, set screws threaded through the boxes and engaging the supporting members for varying the position of the boxes, a back member connected with the boxes, spring actuated flaps hingedly con nected with the back member, and means for maintaining the spring actuated flaps in folded condition, said means including a spring actuated latch member and a catch engaged thereby.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMANUEL V. HARTMAN.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR A. MEssMAKER, GARRETT MEssMAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

